1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new packaging for sterilized matter and more particularly relates to a new glass ampoule for containing medical matter and preferably medical devices, wherein the medical device is preferably kept packaged under aseptic and sterilized conditions and the ampoule is easily and safely opened to permit an easy and quick removal of the medical device out from the ampoule.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Glass ampoules are very well known in the medical field for containing liquids such as pharmaceuticals, solutions and the like, for injections for example, wherein the ampoule comprises a glass body having a main cylindrical portion having a large diameter and a smaller portion with a smaller diameter, both portions being connected through a neck portion with a very small diameter provided to define a breaking section. All these portions are hollow and the user must file or cut down all around the neck portion to then break the ampoule at the neck section by exerting a force with the fingers.
Generally, the glass ampoules need a very small neck portion to concentrate the stresses of breaking forces applied by the user, whereby the ampoule breaks at the neck section, namely the section with the largest stress concentration. As explained, the diameter at the neck section must be very small, therefore when the ampoule is broken a very small opening is defined. While this is not a drawback when the matter contained in the ampoule is a liquid, because the liquid may be easily poured through the small opening, the diameter of such opening is insufficient when a solid product packaged in the ampoule must be removed out of the ampoule.
Considering that the glass is capable of keeping inner sterile condition into the container for many years, the use of a glass container has been extended not only for liquid matter but also for solid matter. Dental implants and other medical devices have been packaged into glass containers, some of them pretending to be a kind of glass ampoules but these containers are not completely made of glass. While the most part of these containers are made of glass, an opening large enough to permit the removal of the contained solid product is provided and the opening is closed and sealed by a cap or plug. However, all the materials used for the plug or cap have failed to provide an effective seal to keep the inner sterile conditions for a long period of time.
Therefore, it would be very convenient to have a container integrally made of glass, such as a glass ampoule, for keeping under effective sealed sterile conditions any desired matter for long periods of time, with the container being provided with means for defining an opening permitting the easy removal of the packaged matter, particularly when the matter is a solid device, such as a medical graft, dental implant, and the like.